Legal Disclaimer: The Power Rangers belong to Saban or Disney, not me. I'm not making any profit from this story. I own Vadaei, [that's pronounced VAY-di-I,] the Phaedos Powers and their bearers, Mistri, Geneva, Calcia, Edy, Asharani, Karei, Vedi, Dalila and Bambi. These nine characters cannot be borrowed, as I'm using them in a story for publication. They are protected under international copyright law. I also own Niamh, Larissa, Saoirse and Paddy Ralin, Kalika Alinir, Fleure, Jaime, Christopher and Bruce Vahala and Dylan, Pandora, Theodore, Olympia and Steven Jalaz. Those fourteen may be borrowed, but drop me a line, okay? Resemblances between characters and real people, dead or alive, is purely unintentional. All foreign words come from FreeTranslation.com, so sue them, not me for bad language. This story comes after The Sword in the series The Circle Draws Inward. This is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America.
Terminology: Rangers is everyone. Ninjetti is all empowered as Ninjetti. When morphed into the Ninjetti suits, the reference is [Colour] [Spirit] Ninjetti. Therefore, Pink Crane Ninjetti is Kim. Morphed or unmorphed, the Avatar Ninjetti [morphed being Ranger Powered] are called by first name. Unmorphed, or with helmets off, all Rangers are referred to by first name. [Colour] [Team Specific] Ranger refers to the morphed Ranger in battle. Therefore, Pink Zeo Ranger is Kat. In the same sense, Pink Zeo Ninjetti is Kat using her Ninjetti Powers as a Ranger.

The Confusion
by Mistri, Cho's Observer

July 24th, 1997.

The Rangers were gathered at the park once more.

"Now that we're out of school, and heading off to university soon," said Jason, "Anyone got any ideas of what we should do regarding jobs? I'd appreciate earning some money, and we generally have the same ideas . . . "

"Why do you bother asking?" asked Tanya. "Tommy, Zack, Jason, Rocky, Adam and Dylan have been discussing opening a martial arts centre. Kat, Kim, Trini, myself, Kali and Fleure want to do something towards the end of gymnastics, diving, self-defense and meditation for girls mainly."

Trey picked up. "Billy is exploring options, Niamh could care less, I have no clue, and Phaedos is currently otherwise involved."

"I suppose the major question is," said Edy, "whether if you started your businesses now, would university disrupt your commitments? We're going house finding, ourselves. And the Four are waiting for their respective parents to call them and tell them what flight they'll be on."

"Well, they did just manage to succintly sum it up," muttered Jason. "Who's up for it? We guys need our Karate Association licenses so we can teach, you girls will need your various licenses and such. We should look into getting those before we make any definite plans."

"You don't have them now," pointed out Niamh, reasonably.

"True, Niamh," said Tommy. "However, all we do is little scale stuff, we don't need licenses for that, but we perhaps should have licenses. What we want to do requires us to be licensed by law."

"I've got all my stuff," said Kim quietly. "I'd moved up to being an assistant with Coach Schidmt, helping the younger kids and that. Then Billy and I got kidnapped. Well, I told him I had to leave, and he smiled ruefully. I think he may have suspected part of the reason . . . but I digress. I've got some partial credit, and a few letters of recommendation from him, so it shouldn't be too hard to get my license."

"Does anyone else have any credit or such?" asked Trini. Everyone to who it applied shook their heads.

"I may be going to the Royal Ballet Company in London," said Kat. "I don't know yet, and I'm not sure if I'd take it, because of my attachments here. So I am unsure about whether I wish to make such involvements here."

Her speech was quiet, but delivered with a firm resolve. Trini chuckled.

"You go girl! And when you come back, maybe Niamh will join us and teach Irish dancing."

"That's not such a bad idea," mused Niamh.

~*~

Trey and Mistri made their leave of the group. Once they were clear of people, they teleported to Pyramidas.

"What the hell did the Council decide to do, and why?" asked Trey, cutting straight to the chase.

"I don't agree with what they did, Trey. As one who has a seat on the Council, I should have been consulted. You know what they say of Rangers and Earth."

"I do," said Trey. "However, it's unlikely that anything's going to come of it. Four years ago, it was made public. by Council regulations, the time period is up."

"True," said Mistri. "There has been talk. Nothing more, Trey. Just talk of Earth's intergration. But until the final decision is made, no one can do anything. That's why it happened. As it stands, Triforia says yes, Aquitar says yes, Edenoi says yes. Eltar says no. The Morphin Masters are divided, and therefore their vote is a possible. Inqurius says no. The Order of the Meledan is saying no. We say not yet, which is a no. Phaedos contributes no vote."

"This sucks," said Trey, sighing.

"Our freedom of movement is hampered, yes," allowed Mistri. "But would you rather that Rita had won on the first day?"

Trey had no answer.

"Look. The Council has promised to go all out if the situation increases to a definitive level. It took a lot of work, but I managed to get it out of them."

~*~

On the far-distant uninhabited planet of Aralio, a yellow and black styled ship that looked exactly like a spider was taking off towards Earth.

As it breached the stratosphere, it underwent a transformation. The eight legs tucked into its bottom and then there was a brilliant flash of yellowish black light. It had become a ship with a main body of a flat triangle. From the apex to the back the ship stretched one thousand feet. From right back tip to left back tip was one thousand, two hundred and fifty feet. Starting directly in the middle and at the back and stretching for two hundred and fifty feet was a right angled triangle, with the right angle at the bottom. Finally, on the top point was another right angled triangle, with side lengths of fifty feet, fifty feet and approximately seventy point seven one feet, affixed on the top point directly in its center point.

It turned towards Earth, and in a flash of yellowish-black light disappeared.

~*~

When Trey and Mistri rejoined the group, no one noticed.

"Hey," said Mistri. "Who wants to go help us get a house?"

"Does this involve shopping?" asked Kim.

"Sort of," was the only reply given. In the end, Kim, Adam, and Billy decided to go along with Phaedos and decide on a house. So they teleported back to the MegaShip.

In thirty minutes, Erind¿ril had gotten rid of modest houses in London, France and New Zealand. Armed with that money, they went looking for a house. They managed to find a nice two story building close to the other Rangers. Currently, all Rangers lived in the same area, but still spread out, of Angel Grove.

The time would soon come when that would prove untrue.

In an hour, it was furnished. They had Ali create what they needed and teleport it in just so.

As they sat down and relaxed, an alarm went off inside the MegaShip. Ali instantly sent the information to them. Asharani received it, and swore quite fluently in Eltarian, Triforian and Phaedosian.

"Guys. She's back."

They all hit their teleport sequences at that, landing in the MegaShip fully morphed as Phaedos, but with their helmets off. They had Ninjetti, Ninjetti as Ranger, or simply Ranger. The Ninjetti as Ranger was the one they had said was two powers routed as one, when they had met the others.

"The TriSpyd Base is currently in orbit around the planet, in spider mode," reported Bambi.

"Scans indicate high levels of unknown activity," reported Karei. "I'll stay here with Dalila. You guys go talk to Zordon."

"Confirmed," replied Mistri, and they teleported out. Billy, Kim and Adam who had followed, teleported to the Chamber.

Once they were all gathered, the others were told of what the Phaedos Rangers knew of the situation. Well, they were told after Zordon had finished outlining his knowledge of it all.

"Rangers. There is currently a new base in orbit around the Earth," said Zordon. "I believe it is affiliated with the UAE."

"Zordon, it is. It's the TriSpyd Base. Our foe, Vadaei is commander of the ship," said Vedi. "Vadaei is . . . "

"Supreme Evil. She is so evil, and yet she is remarkably normal. She could pass for one of us, were it not for the fact that her aura reeks of the blackest evil," said Bambi.

"This is where it gets very confusing," said Geneva. "Mondo fights you Zeos, no matter your morph. Rita and Zedd fight you Avatars, no matter your morph. Vadaei fights us, no matter our morph. Well, actually, Vadaei fights all Ninjetti empowered, so long as they're using Ninjetti."

"As long as you use Ninjetti, you are fair target for Vadaei and Mondo. My advice is thus: Do not use Ninjetti unless you absolutely have to," said Mistri. "As it stands, you Zeos have a choice of three powered states: Ninjetti. Ninjetti in the Power of Zeo. And Zeo. Always use Zeo unless you have no other recourse."

"You Avatars always use Ninjetti," said Calcia. "Note we do not say that Vadaei will attack you, it is possible, but not that likely. Just be aware that she has every right, by UAE doctrine to attack you if you are powered as Ninjetti."

"Rangers, there are unknowns attacking Angel Grove Heights!" chittered Alpha.

"NejiNinjetti!" snarled Dalila over the communications lines. "Let's get back to action!"

~*~

The nine Phaedos Rangers landed in the area of destruction. Mistri was already twirling his Singing Staff. The sound emanating from it pierced through the air, and several of the NejiNinjetti changed shape. After many years of tossing the NejiNinjetti on the scrapheap, it wasn't too long before they were all gone.

They then looked for the new foe. Not suprisingly, it was Vadaei.

She had hair so black it was like space. She stood at five feet eleven. She wore yellow socks and black hiking boots. Her black sports bra was patterned in yellow. Her black shorts had a yellow DNA pattern stitched throughout them. Her black hair was pulled back with a yellow hairband.

"Rangers of the North," she said lazily, almost mockingly. "We meet again." They studied her, warily. The last time they had parted, she had sworn to obliterate Phaedos. They were not wishing to see her do it.

"Vadaei, what do you want?" snapped White Phaedos Ranger.

"I want to be happy," she said, picking up some daffodils. "Isn't that what we all want?"

"Why can't you embrace the Light?" asked Blue Phaedos Ranger. Vadaei smiled, a cruel twisted mockery.

"I believe we've had this conversation before," she sighed, sounding almost normal. "Now that we have met once more, I bid you farewell."

In a yellow DNA flash, she disappeared.

They studied the area where she had been. Then after a cursory scan of the area, they left the area. They arrived back at the Power Chamber demorphed and to several worried faces. Geneva moved to the consoles and began hurriedly manipulating controls.

"That was Vadaei," Mistri said, rather unnecessarily.

"She's remarkably normal, like you said," said Trini.

"And what's with the yellow and black?" asked Kali.

The nine Rangers stiffened. For a few moments all was silent. Then with a sigh, Karei stretched and turned to face the other Rangers.

"Black represents her evil side, the dark side of the Grid. As for the yellow and the DNA pattern, we think she has ties with a Ranger from the year 3000. Nothing has ever been confirmed."

"Who would it be?" asked Kat.

"We're psychic, not foretellers," sighed Karei. "That's all we know."

"What do we do now that she's here?" asked Dylan quietly.

Just before anyone could answer, Niamh and Fleure jumped, realising the time.

"We've got to get to the airport, our parents will be waiting," said Niamh hurriedly. They teleported out. Dylan and Kali checked their watches and teleported after them.

"Come over to our house," said Vedi. "We can hang out there for a bit." Her invitation was accepted gratefully, and the Rangers left.

As it neared six o'clock, they ordered in pizza, and there came a knock at the door. Dalila and Bambi bounded to the door, and were greeted by the sight of the missing four Rangers and three sets of parents.

"Well, come in," said Bambi, stepping back. They came in, and they went to the basement, where the place was in a small uproar.

Niamh presented her parents, Larissa and Paddy Ralin. Larissa looked just like Niamh would when she grew up, except her hair was a golden brown, and she was slimmer than Niamh. It was obvious where Niamh got her emerald eyes from. She obviously had gotten her red hair and fair skin from her father. Paddy was solidly built, and his eyes held the piercing quality that Niamh had.

Jaime and Bruce Vahala. Once again, Fleure was a younger version of her mother. Her father's characteristics couldn't be seen in her physical form. Jaime had long glossy black hair, brown eyes, a seemingly permanent tan and stood lithe and limber. Bruce was muscled and tall. Brown hair was tied back, rivalling Tommy's for length. He looked to be a good karate expert.

Pandora and Steven Jalaz. Dylan was his father's son, it was apparent. Both father and son shared a similar build and eyes. His mother was also fit and toned and drew quite a lot of interested looks from both sexes. Dylan had inherited his mother's black hair, his father's being light brown.

"Don't you have any brothers or sisters?" asked Zack, curiously.

"Kali, where are your parents?" asked Tommy, worried.

"Dead, years and years ago," she replied absently.

"As for our siblings, they're out exploring this place and getting to know each other, being in the same predicament," said Niamh.

"Would you know of a place we can stay for a night?" asked Jaime. "I believe we all have houses which we will be utilising from tomorrow." Two nods confirmed this statement.

"You're welcome to crash here," said Asharani. "Just be prepared for weird comings and goings. Niamh, Kali, Fleure, Dylan, you're relieved for an indefinite period." They nodded, and the adults thanked them profusely.

Mistri slipped away with Bambi, and they quietly sealed off areas of the house they didn't want anyone going into, accidently or not. They also made up several beds.

Slowly, the Rangers departed. Soon all that were left were the Phaedos and the Four. At about eight, their assorted siblings came trickling in. Niamh's fourteen year old sister Saoirse. Dylan's seven year old brother Theodore and nine year sister Olympia. Fleure's ten year brother Christopher.

~*~

The next day, the three reunited familes moved into their houses. As the other Rangers found out pretty quickly, they had been planning to move for a while, and therefore their houses had been set up beforehand. So once they had just checked out the houses and noted the apparent details, they were free to go.

Kali, Tommy and Trini decided to speak with Bambi about Vadaei.

"What's her pattern?" asked Tommy. Bambi studied them and apparently passing judgement, beckoned them to follow her. They made their way to Xv¿ril, as the Rangers of the North had named their house.

"She doesn't really have a pattern, Tommy. I assure you of that. I have heard much of you, and I tell you this. If she did have one, I still would not tell you. You would take the responsibility upon yourself, and that is not for you to do," she sighed.

"There has to be something she does," said Tommy.

"There is, but Vadaei is our foe. Tommy, I wish it could be otherwise, but it cannot be." Bambi looked into the carved mirror adorning one side of her room.

"What can we expect from her?" asked Kali.

"A better question would be what we can expect from you, Kalika. I do not lie, we have heard that name before. Anything. Her monsters are stronger than anything you have encountered. We fight them with ease, having practice in it."

"She is a master at dark spells, and will often use them. More often than not, she will come down herself and fight us. You may say that it is the leader's job/right to fight the henchpeoples or the villain."

"We generally let that happen . . . " said Trini.

"Then, pray tell, why does she always fight Karei? In the last nineteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty five conflicts, Mistri has battled her exactly once, and then he got thrown aside in favour of Karei, when she teleported into battle."

Kali gasped. "That would be three battles each day you've been alive!"

"Precisely," said Bambi.

And with that, she got up and walked over to her mirror, and looked into it. She turned around. "I say this, Trini. When all is lost, and you need to know, a mirror does not lie. They tell the truth of what was, what is, and what may come to pass. Remember my words in times yet to come."

And Trini nodded, not understanding. But Bambi gazed upon her with eyes that appeared to stare into her and know what secrets she harboured deep within herself.

"I will, Bambi."

Then I have done what I may . . . "Times draws near, friends. Let us conduct our business while we can, for attacks are imminent while Vadaei is here."

~*~

On her base, Vadaei waited. She knew that Rita, Zedd and Mondo, would not hesitate to call once they were aware of her presence. And soon she was rewarded, as Rita and Zedd and Mondo requested to speak with her.

She spoke to them at the same time.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" she asked.

"We would like to join forces, Vadaei," said Rita.

"I have no interest in conquering Earth. My interest is in killing permanently the nine Phaedosian warriors still in existence. I doubt, Rita, that an alliance would benefit me at all," she said.

"Why do you stay so young and with those results?" enquired Zedd, politely. He had always wanted to know.

Vadaei smiled, a true smile. "Zedd. While you have kept aging at bay with magic for countless milennia, I have not used magic. Indeed, magic can extend my lifespan, except it doesn't need to. It is in my genes to age as I have done. I have lived for over nine hundred and nine thousand, nine hundred and nine years. I have looked like this since what the people of Earth would consider my twentieth birthday. Aging is irrevelant, due to my genetic predispositions."

"Ah," said Zedd.

"Can you help us?" asked Mondo, humbly.

"Perhaps. Perhaps not," said Vadaei. "I have some plans . . . I will see what I can do."

With that, she cut the connection. She walked to her bookshelf, and looked at the Dark Magic section, and drew out a book.

She turned to the middle, and looked at the spell she had never quite dared to do. She did not wish to end up with a worse situation than the one she wanted to get rid of.

She cleared her throat.

"Alini liskl cimon dign! Sathio menita kalat! Ash nazg! Gimbatul thratuluk krimpatul!"

~*~

On Earth, Trini, Adam and Edy were walking through the park with Bulk and Skull when a very strange things happened. The sky darkened and it spat a lightning bolt of darkness down to where Trini, Adam and Edy were.

"Bulk, Skull! Get to the Chamber!" cried Adam. Bulk and Skull hit their teleport buttons and got out of there as fast as they could.

"Zeo Ranger IV, Green!"

"Eagle! Power Up!"

"Phaedos NovaFour Activate!"

They were no sooner morphed than a most godawful blackness surrounded them.

And when it cleared, they were no longer there.

The End... for now...